Forest management planning principles of uneven aged forests and its integration into ETÇAP decision support system

The percentage of productive uneven-aged forests in Turkey is about 4.1%. This low ratio is result of the timber-based forest planning approach applied in the past. Because the most appropriate forest formation is even-aged forest for timber production, satisfactory attention has not been given to uneven-aged forests. But the importance of non-timber forest ecosystem values are now being known, multiple-use forest planning approach has been applied in the entire world. However, recently decision support systems are extremely important for planning and management of natural resources because of sustainable and multiple use planning principle from forest ecosystems. Decision Support Systems - DSS is indispensable to generate planning alternatives and determine an optimal management schedule among them to justify sustainable use of forests. The purpose of this study is to integrate of the management planning of uneven-aged forests into ETÇAP (Ecosystem-based multiple-use forest planning) decision support system. Subsequently, developed planning software module is tested with sample data in a case study area. Consequently, the planning model for of uneven-aged forests made in the context of project will also be used in the implementation of contemporary forest management planning process, scientific studies and forestry education.